Canine Hydrotherapy Centre

What is Hydrotherapy?

Hydrotherapy is a type of physiotherapy involving the use of water either in a pool or in a underwater treadmill.

Trained Hydrotherapist

At West Bar Vets our trained Veterinary Hydrotherapist, Louise Walden runs most of the sessions assisted by other members of our dedicated nursing team and under the direction of our vets.

Open to All

You do not have to be a client of West Bar Veterinary Hospital to use our service. We see a number of patients from other local practices and are happy for other vets to refer their patients to us for hydrotherapy.

What are the advantages of hydrotherapy over normal dry land exercise and swimming and how does it work?

With the patient standing in the unit – warm water is allowed to enter to a height determined by our staff and based on the condition being treated. The patient is then encouraged to exercise in the unit as much as possible for the 30 minute session.The patient usually exercises for several short periods of a few minutes followed by short rest periods. In common with swimming or pool exercise ‘hydro-physio’ has several advantages over dry land exercise. The buoyancy of water allows exercise to be non-weight bearing thus removing stress on the joints and reducing friction between the articular surfaces.The warm water provides a comfortable exercise environment and may ease any discomfort the patient may feel. The water pressure helps reduce swelling and oedema of affected joints.The patient will gain sensory feedback from the viscosity of the water which promotes the use of the injured or diseased joint or muscle.Movement is much slower in the water allowing the patient to adjust or correct the movement of the limb without fear of further injury. Muscular strength and tone can also be increased through the resistance provided by the water as the patient exercises. Circulation and cardiovascular fitness can also be improved.

The use of a wet treadmill obviates the need for buoyancy aids (except for safety of course), allows us to adjust the level of the water to a most suitable depth and allows the client to be right beside their pet to offer encouragement and support .The variable speed treadmill encourages normal walking action within the water rather than paddling seen with swimming and allows us to easily observe and assess the patient’s movement and progress.

How do I arrange an appointment for my pet?

Our purpose built facility is located at our branch practice in North Banbury, only a few minutes drive from the M40 Junction 11. If you would like to view our facility, book an appointment or discuss your pet’s case further then please contact our team on 01295 262332 or from our contact page.